Fuel Sold on the Curb
Diesel is being sold openly on sidewalks outside filling stations in Aleppo, where a fuel shortage affecting northern and northwestern Syria has stretched into a second week. Drivers unable to buy enough at official pumps are turning to informal vendors who set out containers along roads and roundabouts.
The trade has become visible across several parts of the city, with sellers clustering near stations and busy intersections as demand outpaces the supply available through regulated channels.
A Widening Price Gap
At official stations, diesel (mazot) is priced at 175 Syrian pounds (SYP) per liter. On the street, the same fuel sells for as much as 250 SYP per liter, roughly 30 percent higher, with some accounts putting the range at 225 to 250 pounds.
The gap of up to 75 pounds a liter reflects both scarcity and the added margins taken by intermediaries, and it has effectively created a parallel market operating alongside the official distribution system.
Rationing and Resale
To manage limited stocks, stations have capped sales at about 20 liters per vehicle during the crisis. Residents describe groups of buyers pooling their quotas, with several people each purchasing the maximum to assemble larger volumes that can then be resold.
By some accounts, street vendors move up to 300 liters a day near a single station. The origin of the diesel sold outside stations remains disputed, and a state fuel company contacted about the practice gave no clear account of where the supply comes from. Residents point to several supplying regions, among them Hama, Homs, and the coast.
Pressure on Households and Revenue
For households and small businesses that rely on diesel for generators and daily transport, the higher street prices add to everyday costs at a time of broader economic strain. An economic analyst warned that unregulated resale drains potential state revenue and entrenches black-market pricing. The strain is felt most by neighborhoods that depend on private generators for electricity.
Authorities carried out an inspection tour of stations in mid-October, but the shortages and curbside sales have persisted, leaving the gap between the official rate and the street price firmly in place.